Sunday, January 30, 2011

Since I missed some news at the end of this month, here is a quick way to catch up. Ready to POP?

1) President Obama's SOTU -- Policy and Politics -- Here is the transcript. All I have to say is the words sounded good, but let's see what actions President Obama follows up with. Obama and the Democrats want to kiss up to business NOW on the way to Election 2012. If you are a businessperson, do you really trust the Democrats after the past two years?

3) Pop tART -- Pop Art -- the beautiful Lenora Claire opened an Art Gallery in Koreatown. I went and among the Hip and the Cool (and the Drag Queens), I felt neither hip nor cool (nor do I feel the need to dress up in women's clothes unless I am playing Dr. Frank N. Furter on stage). Cool art gallery, I shall return to see it. Hip and cool yes, but run by a beautiful redhead, so I will give a review when all the pictures are up. (Yes, the Valley will promote Lenora Claire this year because it can).

4) Upcoming writings in the Valley -- Posts -- An old professor of mine wrote a book predicting 2012 (and many election before and after), here's a hint: Put your money on Red in 2012. Another post, how the Left's White Hot hate will keep the Republicans in power for a long, long time.Also, my take on Tea Party, our friends who work in the dark and the folks who dance in the dark. And finally, I shall return to Doctor Who episodes on the weekends. Why? Because Fez's are cool..

5) Helping a Friend get back her Life -- Pro Bono -- My friend Ash had her identity stolen and needs help from a lawyer who can do Pro Bono work. She needs the legal help to get back her life. If you know of someone, contact me and I will pass the name along. Ash is smart, beautiful and intriguing; I hope my readers can help. Thanks!

6) Doing Yoga -- Positioning -- My 40 year old body felt pain today in places I didn't even know. It helped get my mind back on track. So, here I am!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

My sister who is on a well deserved vacation, mentioned Uluwatu Temple as a beautiful place to visit, so here is what I found:

There is a story about Hindu priest from Java called "Dang Hyang Nirartha" or " Peranda Sakti Wawu Rauh", full of mystical episodes since his arrival until his disappearance in Bali. One of Hindu teaching is the same as other religion that is concerning the world after death or the "here after world " This world is contrasted into two polarization such as Eden garden and hell. For those devotee, a promise of all goodness and happiness are there which is called "sorga" In the tradition of Hindu in Bali it is said that the "sorga" is undescribed by words, and undepicted with picture. Where truth is an absolute, and body is embraced into it, so it only exist " enlightenment". But one can not enter the sorga with worldly body except their holy spirit when he/she during the life had completed duties and behaved as indicated by religious teaching. The other way one can reach sorga by the way called "moksa". It is not quiet clear what is actually meant by the word "moksa". Many assumptions arose. One thought it is a body sublimation, that one who has reach his stage of moksa disappeared in the world without living his/her physical body. This stage can only be reached with a severe body control on senses while developing knowledge by meditation or hermitage. Others thought that when a person dead, their spirit become one with the absolute being, and will not experience rebirth ( Sanskrit : samsara ) anymore. Since life is basically a punishment of sins and misdeeds of their past life ( Sanskrit : Punarbawa ). So, actually based on the last teaching human being during his life is stirred to do the good thing.

Dang Hyang Nirarta is believed the one that have reached such stage, and he accomplished his moksa on a spot of land which is believed to be the sacred place. In this sacred place then was built a temple called Ulu Watu. That was why the place has been considered a very special place by the king in the past. It is not only Uluwatu temple that is associated with Dang Hyang Nirarta, but many temple such as Ponjok Batu at North West Bali, Rambut Siwi in Negara regency and Sila Yukti in East Bali. It is probably the claim from Hindu priest in the past that their role in the society was unquestionable.

Other side of above story, one phenomenon is certain during Balinese history that was during the disintegration of period of Balinese kingdom ca. 16th century to 17th century many small kingdoms tried hard to build their identification to at least same as Klungkung. The foremost one was the temples. Each kingdom would build one sea temple, one city temple, and one mountain temple. There are 8 kingdoms still alive in Bali, when Indonesia announced the declaration of Independence in 1945. Each of this kingdom had their own 3 main temples at the level of smaller social unit such as " Desa " another 3 temples are also built. Uluwatu is belong to Badung kingdom, and until now the owner is one of the palace heirs of Jero Kuta.

In Badung was divided into 2 kingdoms during 17th century, one the bigger is Mengwi kingdom covered almost bigger part of Badung current regency and part of Tabanan regency, even Blambangan regency in east Java which is now Banyuwangi kingdom. Uluwatu was most probably built by Mengwi kingdom as sea temple, at the same time as Ulun Danu as mountain temple. The development of the kingdom later obliged Mengwi kingdom to give Uluwatu temple to Badung kingdom, and Ulun Danu to Tabanan kingdom. Shortly after 1634 AD Mengwi again built other 2 temple, one is Tanah Lot as sea temple, and other is Pucak Mangu temple in Pelaga area as mountain temple.

Today is not only the area of Badung and municipality of Denpasar feel that Uluwatu is their temple or as Bali main temple ( Bali "Sad Kahyangan" ) but other areas of Bali which were different kingdom in the past. The main holder of the temple who daily look after it, and bear the responsibility of the temple maintenance and ceremony is one of the king family in Denpasar, under the regency of Badung.....

There has been a break between the Old Ivy Educated leaders of the Right and the "local yokels," and Bloggers. The break came because of Governor Palin. The mirror began to crack.

In 2008, The Republicans elected (after years of complaining) a MODERATE Republican -- it was Governor Palin who brought the Conservatives to the polls.

Did anyone who wanted Republicans to vote for a Moderate on the top of the ticket, endorse McCain? NO.

After the 2008 election, the Conservatives and Republicans lost. Senator McCain went back to the Senate and Governor Palin went back to Alaska. Game over -- everyone moves on, right? WRONG.

As detailed by Dan Riehl, the Elvis of the Right Blogosphere and Robert McCain, the Hunter Thompson of the same place, wrote multiplearticles on how the Obama White House funded the false Ethics charges against the Governor. Because of the worry of bankruptcy and the loss of energy working on Alaska problems, she stepped down on July 3, 2009.

And that's when Conservatives, Republicans and Tea partiers went from opposing to angry. That is when the mirror cracked.

The Country Club and Ivy league Republicans who never fought back, saw fit to give ammunition to the Democrats by piling on Palin.We, in the activist and Blogosphere trenches have gone to war against them. We who have to defend and fight for our candidates still believe in having each others back.

Turning the other cheek meant that the Left and Liberals would use any excuse to attack. But President Bush turned the other cheek, what did it get Conservatives and Republicans? White Hot Hate from the Left.

Not much of a bargain -- no?

The Breaking of the Mirror July 3, 2009

What happened to Governor Palin reminds me of what Kyle Reece (Michael Biehn) said in the Terminator:

The Left acts like the Terminator, needing a target (their current Emmanuel Goldstein) and doing everything (with their handmaidens in the media) to destroy the leader of the Republicans; Be it a President (I remember when everyone went after President George H.W. Bush -- another moderate in 1992), a Senator (Dole or McCain) or a former VP candidate.

When we on the Right realized turning the other cheek didn't work, and seeing how Governor Palin was martyred. The tea parties along with the ground level activists and bloggers chose a new tact: Fight back or die.

Destroying Palin brought the Tea Partiers, Bloggers and activists together. It brought that coalition against the "insider," Republicans -- by breaking the mirror of demonizing Palin in 2009, the anger rose.

After Tuscon, the Dark Mirror and the New Mirror for the Right

And like clockwork, after Tuscon, the Left tried to demonize the Right and Governor Palin for something we had nothing to do with.

But this time, for the first time in forever, the Right fought back by forcing the Lrft to look into their own dark Mirror.

There are good, bad and ugly people in all creeds, colors and philosophies; Mankind is flawed and hypocritical, but what makes me a Conservative (with a Social Libertarian streak) is that we all strive to be better people.

If you don't have faith in your fellow man (or women) kind, what kind of person are you?

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Think of a Small Dodecahedron that light can pass through that you can hold in your hand. As the light passes through each side, another vision is seen of looking at the world.

The Valley is one part of my world; In a town where people make the world their stage, this is mine, I can be a harder partisan here then I am in real life. My views are not different from my real time, I still believe that Commerce, Democracy and Rock music can save the world. Here in the valley, I amp it up, but sometimes my emotions of the moment seep through.

Remember my rule: Politics and policy is about Coalitions. You don't build coalitions by damning people.

When the shooting occurred, it affected me on multiple levels that for the first time in ages, I told my friend Ron at Ruin that night, "I wanted to get drunk," But I was the guy driving him home, so I stuck with one beer.

Back to the story:

Here are the multiple levels, that I, JSF, was affected by the shooting:

1) I used to intern on Capitol Hill for two Congressmen, Rep. Zimmer in the 103rd and Rep. Dan Miller in the 104th. It is the job of each Congressperson to get to know their Constituents -- this shooting by the crazy person hinders that.

2) I have two mentors who work as Chief of Staff to two separate Congressmen on the Hill. Their jobs become tougher, and I worry, do my friends have targets on themselves too? Hence, my reason to want to get drunk on Saturday night.

4) Guess who else deals with mental health issues daily? I won't rehash it here, but suffice it to say, in my gut I knew this was a random shooting by a deranged individual. What happens to people like me who fight to deal with their own mental health issues?

When I did the "Close the Pandora's Box," post -- inside I was upset. At those who got hurt, how does this affect my friends who do this job daily and what I knew was coming -- the demonization of Tea partiers and Sarah Palin.

I hated the shooting, but I knew what was coming. I will damn the shooter to hell many times over, I just wanted others to damn the demonization. A few friends caught my mood on this and a few stood up: Kudos to Jason Buckley, my ex-gf Toni, Bob Flenner in NY, David Petreca and my sister from thousand of miles away who "got" it.

Anyone who saw my last post and my first link in facebook should have known I was upset. Rather then say, be an actual friend, Douglas Day, the anti-republican, damned me for my first feelings, and he was supported by someone I thought would have known the above four things and taken my side.

Or picked up the phone or email within hours of the post as my sister and Jason Buckley did, to help calm me down. These two did not.

When I got back from the club, I saw I was damned by Douglas Day, for he in his White Hot Hate could not ever admit to being wrong on anything political (even though it's a world I inhabited since I was 15 years old, in both parties ,on multiple levels -- did not matter).

I was taught by Old School Politicos in Queens about some of the Old School Rules. Even though I blog and tweet, dance to songs by Chameleons UK, I am at heart a guy who lives by Rules.

To succeed in any dangerous industry, it helps to have a Code of Honor (many, many, many people cited that in my pain as why they liked my writing and my political journey -- both Progressives and Conservatives).

Between trying to be honorable, being duly affected on many levels on the Gifford shooting, my emotions got the better of me. I pulled back -- but Douglas Day can continue living in White Hot Hate and gets away with it. People who began demonizing the Tea Partiers and Palin got away with it.

The shooter was wrong, the demonization is wrong. I say that easily as a partisan, why can't those who venture onto my world say the same thing?

The other parts will arrive as I'm ready to deal with them.

Thanks to all who helped me, and saw my pain and understood it, during this time.

Monday, January 03, 2011

Before Congress reconvenes, before the political ball bounces across the policy court, now is the time for all good Bloggers to tell of their greatest hits of 2010.....Or at least, that's what I'm going to do.

Last year started off with a Bang! by having the first of many Instalanches and ending with a The Other McCain linkage leading into the New Year.

So, right now, the Valley offers a trip into the Wayback Machine (or a TARDIS) into the best posts of 2010! If there is an (I) next to the post, that means it was instalanched.

20. Friends over Party Labels -- This post stopped the New York City News Media from harassing my friend Alexandra and her Dad, my former mentor when I was a Democrat. The Valley wins.

18. A Bipartisan Post.... -- This post shows the difference between the partisan and the ideologue. The partisan shows respect for the President whomever is in office; The ideologue cannot repeat this post when the positions are reversed. Game, set, match.

14. America is not Weimar... -- Teaching Democrats opposition to President Obama does not mean Hitler is going to rise in America (You, on the Left, have been saying that since 1964, give it up already!).

The subsection of people, great and small in the Blogosphere. (of course, with links).

11. Winning in Los Angeles (1, 2, 3) and the Obamajam in Los Angeles - The first bits are for a book. I was on the ground for the Obamajam in Los Angeles, it was my story that was heard. To be continued...